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Thursday, July 03, 2008

Introducing Ray Lamontagne, His Song "Hannah," And Lyrics

One eternal yawp is never equal to another. Even if it doesn't echo here, it can hit the Top 40 elsewhere. There are only 10,000 downloads on this YouTube so far, but there's a singer you should know. He's from here, but he's big in the UK. From Wikipedia:

Ray LaMontagne was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 1974 to a constantly travelling mother. When LaMontagne was a child, his mother left his musician father, while his father was on tour, and moved him and his siblings up north. His father had no contact with LaMontagne and had no knowledge of his whereabouts for years. Because of the stories told to LaMontagne about his father, LaMontagne refrained from most musical activity, instead spending much of his time reading fantasy novels in the forest.[1] His mother moved her six children wherever she could find work, so it was difficult for LaMontagne to make friends. LaMontagne attended high school at Morgan High School in Morgan, Utah, but frequently ditched class, wrote stories, or got into fights with other students. As a result of these interactions, his grades were poor — LaMontagne barely graduated.[2] After graduation, LaMontagne moved away from his family to Lewiston, Maine in order to find a full-time job.[3]

LaMontagne found a job at a shoe factory in Lewiston where he worked 65 hours a week. One morning at 4 a.m., LaMontagne heard Stephen Stills' song "Treetop Flyer" on the radio as it awoke him for an early work shift.[4] After purchasing the Stills Alone album, LaMontagne decided that he wanted to quit his job at the shoe factory and start a career as a singer-songwriter.[5] LaMontagne began touring in 1999, although he maintained a side job as a carpenter.[4] In the summer of 1999, LaMontagne amassed 10 songs for a demo that he sent to various local music venues. Mike Miclon the owner of Buckfield Maine's Oddfellow Theater heard the demo and invited LaMontagne to open for folk acts such as John Gorka and Jonathan Edwards. A friend and business executive, Ron Clayton, heard LaMontagne's recordings and introduced him to Jamie Ceretta of Chrysalis Music Publishing. CMP recorded his first album, and sold it to RCA Records in the US and Echo Records in the UK.

The lyrics to 'Hannah:'

I lost all of my vanity when I peered into the poolI lost all of my innocenceWhen I fell in love with you

I never knew a man fall so far until I landed hereWhere all of my wounds they turned into gold when I kissed your hairNow come to me HannahHannah won't you come home to me--And I'll lay down this bottle of wineIf you'll just be kind to me!

Ask her why she cries so loudShe will not say a wordEyes like ice and hands that shakeShe takes what she deserves

To celebrate her emptinessIn a cold and lonely roomSweep the floor with your long flowered dressIf you cannot find a broom

Now come to me HannahHannah won't you come home to meAnd I'll lay down this bottle of wineIf you'll just be kind to me!

She's got hair that flows right downRight down to the backs of her kneesHer Papa he was a preaching manAnd the Lord is hard to please

So she comes down from the ozark hillsto these very streets to roamWith a banjo and a bibleand a fine tooth comb

Now come to me HannahHannah won't you come home to meAnd I'll lay down this bottle of wineif you just be kind to me!

I'd walk one mile on this broken glassto fall down at your feetMmm-hmm-mmm Hannah: you're the Queen of the Street,and I climb the tree with my Hannah-lee

My intentions they were pureOh the breeze did whip and I lost my gripAnd I tumbled towards the earthWhere you never would guesswho it was that stood below

And His name I would never tellBut His eyes were clearAnd His arms were strongAnd He caught me as I fell

Now come to me HannahHannah won't you come on to me--well I'll lay down this bottle of wineIf you'd just be kind to me!

Now I'd walk one mile on just broken glassTo fall down at your feetMmm-hmm, Hannah: you're the Queen of the Street;The Queen of the Street.